2004 Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône, $17.99, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet color, fading to pink at the rim, with a reticent nose of ripe meat and red fruit; on the palate this is all about earth, iron and black plums, currants and berries, with none of the chocolate previously noted in the last few vintages. An initial rough, burry quality smoothes out with air, and this has the structure to improve for four or five years. I was going to say that it’s a solid, if unexceptional CdR, but once again, it continues to open with air, getting better and better; perhaps the best way to describe it is to say that it’s not flashy, it’s just real wine. I’d like it even more for a few dollars less, but hey, this is Michigan.